Promoting Disrespect for Authority

It's hard to believe that anyone on the Grand Island, Nebraska, school board has the judgement to be allowed to serve on a school board.

Hunter Spanjer says his name with a certain special hand gesture, but at just three and a half years old, he may have to change it.

"He's deaf, and his name sign, they say, is a violation of their weapons policy," explained Hunter's father, Brian Spanjer.

Grand Island's "Weapons in Schools" Board Policy 8470 forbids "any instrument...that looks like a weapon," But a three year-old's hands?

The accompanying video shows the young criminal making what resembles a standard pistol sign by pointing his finger with thumb raised, except that he crosses his first two fingers to show it is a symbol unique to himself. So, in fact, even if it is based on a pistol symbol, it has been modified.

If this violates the Grand Forks so-called weapons policy, it is the policy which needs changing, not a deaf little kid's name symbol. And the school board membership could use some changing, as well.

Unless, of course, this is all a devious way of promoting disrespect for government authority.

(An addendum to the original story says the board has since backed down.)